Did you ever put someone on a pedestal because she said all the right things, only to learn that her actions spoke otherwise? Did you ever associate with someone you thought was bighearted, only to learn that he just cared about himself? Did you ever form a business relationship with someone you felt was trustworthy,… [Read More]
Read This Before It’s Too Late
In the 1950s, “Made in Japan” was synonymous with shoddy merchandise. In the decades that followed, the Japanese not only shed that stigma, they became a manufacturing powerhouse. How did they achieve that feat and why should you care? Read this before it’s too late. In essence, different philosophies produced different actions. While the Japanese… [Read More]
What Does It Take to Show a Little Kindness?
Did you ever say “Good morning” to a stranger and have them look at you as if you were crazy? Sure…they may have been deep in thought or mulling over a personal problem, but was your greeting that unusual to warrant the reaction you received? What does it say about that person, much less about… [Read More]
Are You Running Out of Patience?
It seems like yesterday that written communication was sent by mail; food was reheated on a stove; and you traveled all the way to a store to buy merchandise. Now, if you’re like most people, you get frustrated when email takes a moment to appear in your inbox; the microwave takes a few seconds to… [Read More]
Do You Deserve to Be Trusted?
Some things occur naturally like the sunrise, seasons, and the changing of the tides. Many folks put trust in the same category, thinking it’s simply a natural outgrowth of relationships. Nothing could be further from the truth. What’s more, if you believe that trust is inevitable, you’re far less likely to make the effort required… [Read More]
Never Say “I’m Sorry” Unless You Mean It
We all make mistakes. When you try to repair the damage, do you make the situation better or worse? We’ve all been raised to say “ I’m sorry ” after hurting someone through our words or actions, but is your apology disingenuous or a meaningful expression of regret? What are the ingredients of an effective… [Read More]
Sacrifice for the Greater Good AND for Your Own Good
Some people think they deserve all the good things in life simply because others have them. It never occurs to them that the folks they marvel at probably worked their butts off and made great sacrifices to earn those rewards. If you believe the American work ethic is “old school,” you’d better repeat the class…. [Read More]
I’m Not a Mind Reader. Are You?
“Pick a number between one and twenty-five. Wrong. Let’s try again. What’s my favorite color? Or my favorite food?” As crazy as this sounds, we bury our thoughts and then expect others to know what we’re thinking. Are you a mind reader? Why does this happen? Some folks have trouble expressing their thoughts and feelings… [Read More]